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Tips for painting your home's exterior

When painting exteriors, work from the top down and leave the trim for last.

Photograph by: Fotolia
, Postmedia News

The forecast may be iffy, but you can still start thinking about painting your home's exterior. Here's some advice.

- Prepare for best results: Surface preparation is key. Clean the area thoroughly with a phosphate-free cleaning solution, then rinse with a garden hose or pressure washer. Use a scraper, putty knife or wire brush to loosen any debris. Fill holes and cracks with acrylic-based caulking and smooth surfaces with 120-grit sandpaper.

- Take it stroke by stroke: Once you start painting, work from the top down and leave the trim for last. If you're painting boards or siding, focus on one or two boards at a time, going from one end to the other. Begin painting on the side of your house that remains in the shade the longest (painting in direct sunlight can cause blisters and lap marks).

- Choose tools wisely: A four-inch, straight-edged brush is best for broad surfaces such as siding, while a two-inch brush is suggested for trim. Rollers work well on porous surfaces such as masonry or stucco and are useful for covering flat surfaces. For large areas, a spray gun produces a uniform, professional finish.

- Less is more: While priming the surface is a good idea, never overdo the paint. There's a limit to the number of coats a surface can support. For long-lasting results, apply a maximum of two even coats. Never paint wood when it is wet.

Dulux Paints offers its Diamond Exterior Satin premium acrylic, which can repel rain showers in as little as 30 minutes after applying. Available in more than 2,000 colours, Dulux says it's also resistant to blistering and won't crack or peel in extreme weather changes.

Paint easier and faster

Is a busy lifestyle keeping you away from that painting project on your to-do list? If so, there's a solution for reducing the amount of time it'll take, by eliminating the messy paint tray.

The handle for Black & Decker's Pivoting RapidRoller is designed to hold paint, dispensing it using a trigger. It works like a traditional roller, but also has a threeposition pivoting frame that allows the paint to flow into tough-to-reach corners and narrow spaces.

For more information and a demonstration or to order, visit http: //www.blackanddecker.com/power-tools/ BDPR400.aspx.

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